A History Of The Mass And Its Ceremonies In The Eastern And Western Church -Rev John O'Brien A.M.

WHO MAY TOUCH THE SACRED VESSELS

So very particular is the Church regarding the respect that should be paid to the sacred vessels immediately concerned with the Holy Eucharist, that she forbids them, under pain of sin, to be touched by any one but a cleric. Nay, even clerics, unless they have reached the rank of subdeacon, are not allowed to touch them without special permission. Should any one wilfully touch the Chalice whilst it contains the Precious Blood, and not be at least in deacon’s orders, all theologians hold that he would by so doing commit a mortal sin. When permission is granted a lay person to touch the sacred vessels, he should always wear a glove or have his hand covered with a cloth or clean napkin (De Herdt, vol. i. No. 175).